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You download the app and it doesn’t work

youdownloadtheappanditdoesntwork.com

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Re: You download the app and it doesn’t work

#521

Post by nodamage »

scarface74 wrote: post #273
tempestn wrote: post #229

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Best Buy also doesn't require you to sell your software in their store if you want people to be able to use it with the laptop they bought there.

And neither does Apple. You are free to offer both in app and out of app subscriptions and charge different prices. You don’t have to sell your app in the App Store, you have to distribute it.

This makes me wonder if they could charge $99/year on their website but $999/year via in-app purchase. Basically a price so high that no one would realistically buy it from within the app.

It technically fulfills the requirements specified in the review guidelines but I suspect it would be frowned upon.

Re: You download the app and it doesn’t work

#522

Post by MrStonedOne »

nodamage wrote: post #519
MrStonedOne wrote: post #507

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except its not about rather or not the app was rejected It's about the policy creating the trend of apps that don't work in that you can't sign up on them.

Except the policy doesn't create the trend. The Tesla app won't work if you don't own a Tesla. The Wells Fargo app won't work if you don't have a Wells Fargo account. These apps have external requirements by their very nature, the App Store policy does not change that.

Having a wells fargo bank account is not the same as having a wells fargo online user account.

You get the first, then sign up on the website or android app.

Try again.

Re: You download the app and it doesn’t work

#523

Post by KayL »

uhryks wrote: post #463
donmcronald wrote: post #264

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can still sideload or use an alternate store on Android. The experience isn't very good, but it's still an option. I think if the fees were split out people would lose their minds on more expensive apps because they'd recognize it isn't good value. Ex: Hey: $70 / year App Store Fee: $30 / year Also, did Hey get the prices wrong or are they talking about keeping the prices the same and eating the 30%? If they want…

I may be wrong as I don't have the rules under the hand but iirc Apple's rules state that the in-app purchases prices must be set as to not push users to go pay outside the app. So raising your price may result in a takedown of your app, meaning you have to eat the 30% if you want to stay on the store.

What if I offer discount code for outside payment?

Re: You download the app and it doesn’t work

#524

Post by nodamage »

MrStonedOne wrote: post #522
nodamage wrote: post #519

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except the policy doesn't create the trend. The Tesla app won't work if you don't own a Tesla. The Wells Fargo app won't work if you don't have a Wells Fargo account. These apps have external requirements by their very nature, the App Store policy does not change that.

Having a wells fargo bank account is not the same as having a wells fargo online user account. You get the first, then sign up on the website or android app. Try again.

You can't sign up for a Wells Fargo online user account without first having a Wells Fargo bank account. Therefore there is an external requirement.

Update: I just double checked. The Wells Fargo Android app and Wells Fargo iOS apps behave identically. You are immediately presented with a login screen upon launch. There is no signup flow inside either app but you can click a link that opens a web browser with a link to the registration page.

Your claim that the App Store policy is responsible for this trend does not hold up, considering the Android version is not subject to the same policy but behaves the exact same way anyway.

Update 2: Checked a few more apps. The Android versions of Github and Fastmail don't allow you to sign up in the app either. You are only presented with a login screen just like the iOS versions.

Re: You download the app and it doesn’t work

#525

Post by ric2b »

searchableguy wrote: post #136
MattGaiser wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But isn't that part of the point of open source? If you want people to have to pay for it in some way, it needs to be part of the license. The license is essentially free for all.

Legality doesn't always cover everything because that would result in a lot of problems. People operate on the spirit of the law, not the actual words or at least they are supposed to. There is an expectation of contribution back.

With GPL yes, with MIT no.

Re: You download the app and it doesn’t work

#526

Post by moooo99 »

eddieroger wrote: post #299
moooo99 wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm surprised that Hey! managed to create such a big public outrage about that issue. Years ago Spotify complained about the very same thing and given that Spotify has a much bigger userbase I kind of expected the outrage to be bigger. I suppose a large share of the potential Hey customers work in tech and might have a better understanding of what the app store tax actually means. And the EU anti trust investigations…

Everyone is home on their mobile devices waiting for things to happen. I don’t think this outrage is as widespread as it seems, we just live in a tech echo chamber that is resonating pretty loudly right now. And, it’s the weekend before WWDC, so Apple headlines grab extra attention. I think if this happened six months ago, no one would be talking about Hey and they’d have acquiesced by now.

I expected that the tech-echo chamber plays a role, but I was askeby friends what this discussion is all about. Said friends don't work in the industry and aren't really tech-savy either. Sure, is obviously tech focused, but it seems more widespread than back when Spotify sued.

Re: You download the app and it doesn’t work

#527

Post by moooo99 »

ksec wrote: post #171
moooo99 wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm surprised that Hey! managed to create such a big public outrage about that issue. Years ago Spotify complained about the very same thing and given that Spotify has a much bigger userbase I kind of expected the outrage to be bigger. I suppose a large share of the potential Hey customers work in tech and might have a better understanding of what the app store tax actually means. And the EU anti trust investigations…

Hey was extremely hyped before the launch. At least in certain tech / developer circle. And people have been wanting something new to email. With a waiting list of over 70K, and 10K from first day alone. People saying Hey is hyped up because of Apple is getting the story backwards. The waiting list is also not just filling in an email address but actually writing an email saying you want in. That is some friction inv…

Hey was really hyped, it was actually crazy. I'm happy to pay for my mail service, but 99€ for an individual plan seems pretty hefty to me.

There are regularly stories about iOS apps getting removed for odd reasons on the HN tops, but the Hey story blew up pretty quickly.

> I know there are many who hate DHH and Ruby Rails

I also I also heard that a lot of people hate DHH and his Twitter comment bubble doesn't seem to like HN. Either way, he is certainly not wrong about the issue. I also don't see how Hey would profit from marketing around that. First of all, Hey is pretty expensive and has a pretty narrow target audience as of now. Most people are perfectly happy with their free mail, people who aren't are probably already aware that those alternatives exist. Even more importantly, I don't see how they are going to profit by putting their App Store listing at risk. I doubt an E-Mail service is able so succeed if it doesn't offer native applications or at least a integration with third party clients. Since they chose to not support IMAP etc, Hey's iOS app is integral to the buisness. No app in the store, no profit.

Re: You download the app and it doesn’t work

#528

Post by 411111111111111 »

nodamage wrote: post #524
MrStonedOne wrote: post #522

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Having a wells fargo bank account is not the same as having a wells fargo online user account. You get the first, then sign up on the website or android app. Try again.

You can't sign up for a Wells Fargo online user account without first having a Wells Fargo bank account. Therefore there is an external requirement. Update : I just double checked. The Wells Fargo Android app and Wells Fargo iOS apps behave identically. You are immediately presented with a login screen upon launch. There is no signup flow inside either app but you can click a link that opens a web browser with a link…

They're likely all webview apps with a single codebase though. If they remove it for Apple, it would likely be gone for Android as well.

Don't remember if they had a link for signups before though, just pointing out that you can't deduce that point from given facts.

(Nor is there proof for the original thesis, it's all speculation at this point)

Re: You download the app and it doesn’t work

#529

Post by jp_sc »

jpttsn wrote: post #243
dgudkov wrote: post #76

On a side note, I don't know whether it's intentional or not, but the whole story is a great marketing campaign for HEY. Clashing with Apple made everybody learn about the app in a matter of days.

It’s obviously intentional. I’ve never heard about Hey. Then today, first they post something else and now someone defrosts this tired whine about Apple monetizing, and Hey (whatever it is) tops the list. Sigh. Good work marketers, people seem to buy it.

They already have a waiting list with 70K people motivated enough to write an "email story" to be there. They don't need gimmicks.

Re: You download the app and it doesn’t work

#530

Post by DangitBobby »

nodamage wrote: post #406
realtalk_sp wrote: post #346

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow it's almost like Apple designed their rules so that most of the key businesses in this world don't pay an insane 30% of their revenue to Apple. Almost like Apple say...doesn't want to discourage important institutions from providing services Apple's customers might expect from iOS. Crazy coincidence. /s

I mean, 1) why is anyone surprised by this? 2) If you make an app that sells cat videos you would also qualify for the digital content exemption, "key business" or not.

What makes you think anyone is surprised? Do you think anger or frustration requires surprise?
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